This is From Matilda.

Chapter ten - power struggle

It was Thursday, two days after the prior meeting and interview.
I wasn't particularly nervous anymore. Instead of being a source of anxiety, I felt that these interviews would become simply a nuisance. In fact, they already were.

The cafe wasn't as busy as last time, but I found him at the same table as last time.

"Alright, let's get this over with then" I said, before even sitting down.

"Hello to you too." He greeted, with an exaggerated joyful tone. "Do you want anything to drink?"

I shook my head, eager to start the interview. The quicker it was over, the more questions I could ask him.

"Well, don't say I didn't ask." He said, whilst fishing out his notebook and pen.
"Ok, first question. Are there certain types of people you target?"

I shrugged, "it varies, tourists are good, and the busy or oblivious."

"How do you tell if they're the oblivious kind?"

"Well generally, if their purse it poking out of their bag, it's a pretty good sign that they're haven't got much up there." I said, tapping my finger on my temple.

"Fair enough." He said with a smirk.

"Are some days of the week better than others?"

His questions were becoming increasingly banal. I thought he was supposed to be a writer; his desperation made sense to me now.

"What kind of question is that? Are you writing a fact file on thieves or something?"

"Just answer the question, please?"

"Do you seriously have any imagination, like, at all?"

Instead of retorting like I expected him too. He just looked at me, his brows furrowed, tapping the end of the pen on the table. I was about to wave a hand in front of his face, when he spoke again.

"Right, change of plan. Come on, we're going out."

"What?"

"Since you're so clearly against answering some questions, I'm just going to have to watch you work."

"Excuse me?"

"Watch you thieve, you know, steal stuff?"

"You can't be serious? That's not going to work."

"Is that so? Well I'll be reducing the amount of money I agreed to give you; how does half of the original amount sound?"

"You can't do that."

The whole reason I agreed to this, was for the sum of money I was going to get out of it.

"Oh I can, Matilda. As far as I'm concerned, I can do whatever I want."

Just when I had some control, he decides to have a little power surge. I didn't fear him as a person anymore, the only thing keeping me from slapping him and storming out, was the power he had to ruin me.
I forced myself to calm down, my pride wasn't my priority right now.

I made sure every syllable hung heavily with bitterness when I spoke next.

"Don't slow me down, Jack"

I stood up to leave, and let him follow behind.

I reluctantly let him walk beside me, as I explained what was going to happen. Thankfully, he put his notebook back in his bag.

"we're going to the underground, it's the best place to go to...observe."

"Well, I knew that already."